Bullsnews caught up with UITC Coach Laura Davies this week as she reflected on her season so far on and off the pitch and her ambitions for 2017.
Davies has just been named Abergavenny's player of the month for December. Davies had 3 brilliant performances during the month, scoring 2 goals in the process as Abergavenny tried to hold onto top spot for Christmas.
Davies has just been named Abergavenny's player of the month for December. Davies had 3 brilliant performances during the month, scoring 2 goals in the process as Abergavenny tried to hold onto top spot for Christmas.
How do you feel the first part of the season has gone for the Hereford U18's girls?
The girls have adapted and gelled together well, probably a lot quicker than either myself or George (UITC coach George Leyshon-James) could’ve wished for, especially when you consider they were put together within the space of a few weeks.
They’ve been consistent throughout the season, playing with fluidity, which is quite refreshing and I can honestly say they’ve played some of the best football I’ve seen from a girls’ team in the county. The squad is bursting with talent, I was lucky enough to coach a few of the girls when they were U11/U13, so it’s great to see how much they’ve developed over the past few years.
We remain unbeaten in the league but suffered our first loss last weekend against Forest Green Rovers in the cup. Every team we’ve played this season has wanted to beat us and that’s credit to the girls and how well they’ve done so far. They’ll learn from the defeat and hopefully it will motivate them to succeed and achieve as much as they can during the second half of the season.
You joined Abergavenny Women FC this season, how are you finding it?
I signed for Abergavenny around August/September. I still wasn’t back playing after my injury but was intrigued about the newly formed club. The girls have been very welcoming, both on and off the pitch, which has made the transition to a new club a lot easier. I’m enjoying being involved and I’m looking forward to getting fitter as the season goes by.
How does Abergavenny differ to your previous clubs?
I hadn’t played in the Welsh Women’s Premier League before and was impressed with the standard of football played by the teams we’ve played so far. In terms of Abergavenny as a club, I’m playing with some of the most talented players I’ve ever had the privilege of playing with, some of which are involved in the Welsh international setup. The intensity in training is very similar to what it is in matches, we have a big squad, places are up for grabs and players want to be involved as much as possible. From a coaching perspective, some of the contents of Richie’s sessions/tactics can be applied to the U18’s at Hereford so I’m lucky to be learning both as a player and a coach.
What are your ambitions for 2017?
I’d like to see the U18’s maintain their outstanding start to the season and win the league, whether they can do it going unbeaten is in their hands but I think it’s definitely achievable. They’ll be entering a futsal tournament during January, this is ran by the Gloucestershire FA along with the other teams in the league, so this will be the first real chance to win silverware. We will be losing a few of the girls at the end of the season, including our captain, but I’m hoping the girls continue to play, develop and maybe we’ll see them again in the future when we have a Women’s setup.
A major focus for me in 2017 in my role at UITC is to develop the Girls Programme further, creating a pathway similar to the one we have in place for the boys Academy at Hereford FC. I would like to put younger teams in place, which will allow the natural progression of players filtering through to the U18s. I’d like to think the current U18s have inspired both young boys and girls and that they will continue to be positive role models within the county in the future.
For Abergavenny, I’d like to see the club continue to compete against the likes of Swansea and Cardiff Met, after over 100 days on top we’re now second after losing to Swansea last weekend. It may ease some of the pressure on us and means we can get back to winning ways. Winning the league isn’t completely out of reach, the thought of qualifying for the Champions League is motivation enough, an experience that would top everything I’ve achieved in football. We’re still involved in two cups so I’m confident we can progress through and end the season on a massive high. I’m happy just to be playing again and couldn’t be happier being involved in a squad as talented as this, I’d like to think I will have a few years left in me to represent the club yet.
On a personal level, I’d like to continue to develop professionally by starting my UEFA B Licence in 2017, I feel as though this is the next step for me in terms of coaching. I also want to continue to be a positive role model, not only to my U18s but to all in the county.
